Long Description:Francis Gray was a charter member of the Society of the Cincinnati.
His grave is located in section 102 w of the old Methodist now
Historic City Cemetery.
If you have additional information about Francis gray please let
me know and I will be happy to add it to this record.
The following was sited from:
(visit link)
Pension application information:
Southern Campaign American Revolution Pension Statements
Pension application of Francis Gray W7575 Eleanor fn104Va.
Transcribed by Will Graves 1/31/09 Commonwealth of Virginia
Campbell County
On this 18th day of April 1818 before me the Subscriber one of
the Judges of the General Court of the Commonwealth aforesaid and
Judge of the 7th judicial Circuit including the County of Campbell
aforesaid personally appeared Francis Gray aged about 62 years
resident in the town of Lynchburg in the County aforesaid who being
by me first duly sworn by affirmation according to law doth a firm
and make the following declaration in order to obtain the provision
made by the late Act of Congress entitled "An act provide for
certain persons engaged in the land & naval service of the
United States in the Revolutionary War.
"That he the said Francis Gray enlisted about December 1778 as a
private soldier in the 4th troop of Dragoons Capt. John Watts in
the State of Virginia in the service of the United States in which
Corps he continued to serve until sometime in the year 1780. That
about September 1780 he was commissioned an Ensign in a Company of
infantry commanded by Capt. Benjamin Lawson being a detachment of
the 6th Virginia Regiment in the service of the United States in
which service he continued until the soldiers belonging to said
Regiment were discharged at Salsborough [sic, Salisbury] in North
Carolina the term of their enlistment having expired some time in
1782 -- from whence the officers generally returned home subject to
further orders, but that he the said Francis Gray being in a bad
State of Health received no further orders until the close of the
Revolutionary War. That he was in the several battles in the affair
at Savannah, at Guilford, at Campden [sic, Camden], the Siege of
Ninety Six & at Eutaw [Eutaw Springs] -- and that he is in
reduced circumstances and stands in need of the assistance of his
country for support; and that he has no other evidence now in his
power of his said services. Sworn to & declared before me the
day & year aforesaid S/ Wm Daniel Virginia, to wit: At a Court
of Sessions held for the corporation of Lynchburg at the Court
House on Friday the 9th day of June 1820.
On the 9th day of June 1820 personally appeared in open Court
expressly constituted a Court of record by the laws of the
Commonwealth of Virginia, Francis Gray, aged 62 years, resident
within the Corp. of Lynchburg in the Commonwealth of Virginia, who
being first duly affirmed according to law doth on his affirmation
declare that he served in the Revolutionary war as follows -- that
he the said Francis Gray enlisted for the term of 3 years on or
about the 28th or 29th day of December 1778 in the County of
Culpeper in the State of Virginia in the company commanded by Capt.
John Watts in the Regiment commanded by Col. Benjamin Temple in the
line of the State of Virginia on the Continental establishment,
that he said Francis Gray continued to serve in said Corps until
the month of September 1780 at which time he said Francis Gray
received a Commission of Ensign in the 6th Virginia Regiment of
Infantry commanded by Col. __ Febeger [sic, Christian Febiger] and
continued in the same Regiment of Infantry until the happy
termination of the Revolutionary Struggle, when he was discharged
from said service at Winchester in the State of Virginia -- that he
was in the following battles -- At the attempted to storm of the
Town of Savannah -- he was severely wounded on the head at the
surprise of Col. White at Lanew's ferry [Leneud's Ferry] on Santee
River -- at the battle of Guilford -- the siege of Ninety Six -- at
the surprise of Col. White at Moncks Corner and in various lesser
skirmishes -- That he has heretofore made a declaration of his
services & circumstances (the date of which he cannot
recollect) and I obtained a certificate of a pension of $20 per
month from the 18th day of April 1818, which certificate bears date
the 5th day of March 1819, and is number 7100, and the said Francis
Gray doth solemnly affirm that he was a resident Citizen of the
United States on the 18th day of March 1818 and that he has not
since that time by gift, sale or other wise disposed of his
property or any part thereof with intent thereby so to diminish it
as to bring himself within the provision of an act of Congress
entitled “an act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land
and naval service of the United States in the revolutionary war”
passed on the 18th day of March 1818, and that he has not nor has
any person in trust for me any property, or securities, contracts
or debts due to him nor has he any income other than what is
contained in the schedule hereto annexed and by him subscribed --
That he is family consists of 4 persons, himself, he is wife, and 2
daughters named Maria & Eleanor, That his own constitution is
so effected and weakened by age and the hardship undergone in his
youth as completely to prevent that exertion and application which
would be useful and productive. That his wife is nearly of his own
age and consequently unable to render material services in the
support of a family -- but is engaged together with their daughters
above mentioned, Maria & Eleanor in the milliner's business by
which they acquire a hard-earned and precarious sustenance. That
the said Francis and his family have received a donation of about
$40 annually for the last 6 or 8 years from the "Cincinnati
Society" which he hopes will probably be continued to him. That he
has no property whatsoever except two milk cows & a small stock
of Household furniture the principal part of which has been
purchased by his wife and daughters from the profits of their own
labor. S/ Francis Gray Affirmed to and declared before the Hurting
Court of Lynchburg on the 9th day
of June 1820 S/ W. W. Nowell, Clk [[this is a substantially
identical application dated June 20, 1820 appearing at fn pp.
98-99] State of Virginia Mount Jackson Shenandoah County
On This 26th Day of August Personally Appeared before Me
Jonathan Shuler Justice of the Peace for the County aforesaid
Daniel Gray post master of the town aforesaid, a Revolutionary
soldier and a respectable Citizen of County & State aforesaid,
and who after being first duly sworn according to law doth on his
Oath say that he was married the 16th day of June 1787 and that
Francis Gray my brother was married to Eleanor Henning [in
subsequent documents her maiden name is spelled Hening] some time
previous he says some 2 years or upwards before, he thinks they had
one child born at that time . He says that he has seen and examined
the family record of the said Francis Gray and that he believes the
insertion of the marriage of Francis & Eleanor Gray June 23rd
day of 1785 was done by his brother Francis Gray in his own proper
handwriting. He further states that his brother was in and served
as a soldier and officer of the Revolution upwards of 3 years in
the Continental line. S/ Daniel Gray
Sworn to and subscribed on the 28th day of August 1838 before me
Jonathan Shull a Commonwealth's Justice of the Peace.
S/ Jonathan Shull, JP
[fn p. 15, family Record]
Maria S. Gray born September 7, 1786
William W. Gray born May the 4th 1788
French S. Gray born March 22, 1790
Robert H. Gray born October 12, 1792
Eleanor F. Gray born September 17, 1795
Lucy S. Gray born November 4, 179[last digit obliterated]
died August 19, 1807
Albert Gray born May 3rd 1802 died September 1819
French S. Gray died December 1820
William S. Gray died February 9, 1831
Francis & Eleanor Gray was married 23 June 1785
On August 15, 1838, in Lynchburg, Virginia, Eleanor Gray, 74,
widow of Francis Gray filed for a widows pension. She states "That
she is the widow of Francis Gray deceased a Revolutionary subaltern
officer, 1st of Cavalry and afterwards of Infantry, in the
Continental line of service -- who served most of his time in North
and South Carolina, was at the battle of Eutaw Springs South
Carolina was wounded in the left side of his head at Lenears [sic,
Leneud's] ferry in South Carolina losing part of his left ear --
was taken prisoner, his wound dressed by the British Surgeon -- was
exchanged, and afterwards attached himself to the Army again as
Lieut. of Infantry and owing to his bad State of health, he was
afterwards granted leave of absence from the Army on Furlough; and
so remained she believes until the end of the War." She states they
settled in Culpeper County Virginia and in 1793 removed to
Albemarle County Virginia and in 1800 removed to Campbell County
Virginia and in 1802 removed to Lynchburg Virginia; that her
husband died on the 27th of April 1827.]
[widow died August 31, 1839]
[fn p. 88]
Armistead Long of Culpeper County Virginia of lawful age being
first duly sworn deposeth and saith, that he the said deponent and
Francis Gray were raised from boys in the same neighborhood, and
that the said Gray and himself enlisted in the 4th Troop of the
first Regiment of light Dragoons in the United States service
during the revolutionary war, in December 1778 and joined the said
Regiment at Winchester Virginia in January 1779, and that in the
spring of 1780, the said Gray (at Lenaw's ferry on Santee River
South Carolina) received a wound from one of Tarleton's Legion, and
was taken prisoner, the wound was inflicted with a broad sword
which took off the greater part of his left ear and entered his
skull, he was paroled and left on the ground, after which he
remained with the Regiment until we got to Halifax North Carolina
where he the said Gray left the Regiment and went home on furlough,
and as soon as he recovered of his wound obtained an appointment in
the Infantry of the United States and joined the southern Army
again sometime in November of the same year, where he continued in
the service aforesaid as this deponent believes until the close of
the War.
S/ Armistead Law
Lynchburg Virginia, to wit
We the undersigned Commissioners in obedience to, and by virtue of
the annexed Commission, to us directed, by the Honorable St. George
Tucker, District Judge of the United States, for the district of
Virginia, do hereby certify that the above, and annexed affidavit,
was duly taken, signed and sworn to before us, by Col. Armistead
Long on this 22nd day of March 1814. Witness our hands and seals
the day and date aforesaid.
S/ Thomas Humphreys
S/ Thomas W. Cocke
We the undersigned Commissioners do further certify, that the
following Questions were then asked by us, of the Claimant, Capt.
Francis Gray, who being first duly Sworn, gave the answers hereunto
annexed. Question 1st What has been the reason, or cause, that you
did not, sooner made an application to be placed on the pension
list, of the United States.
Answer -- my situation was such until within a few years past, that
I thought I could do without it, and was then unwilling to put my
Country to any expense, but now being old, and getting infirm,
together with my having a family to support, and having been
reduced in my pecuniary circumstances, I am now compelled to ask of
my Country its bounty, towards my support, as some compensation for
the injury I sustained while fighting for its Liberty.
Question 2nd -- Have you ever been placed on the pension list of
this State, or any Other, of the United States of America.
Answered. -- I have not.
Question 3rd -- did you remain in the service of the United States,
after your wound had healed, (or 2 word of) until the close of the
revolutionary War.
Answered. -- I did.
S/ Francis Gray
No further Questions occurring the foregoing was signed before us
by Capt. Francis Gray. Witness our hands and seals, this 22nd day
of March 1814.
S/ Thomas Humphreys
S/ Thomas W. Cocke
S/ Rob. Morris
The Deposition of Col. John Waltz of the County of Bedford, in the
State of Virginia, taken before us, in the Town of Lynchburg, in
the State aforesaid, the Deponent being first duly sworn, Saith,
that respecting the wound received by Capt. Francis Gray, while in
the Service of the United States, during the revolutionary War, the
said Gray served as a private under his command, in a company of
Dragoons, but that he was not present at the time Mr. Gray received
the wound, nor does he recollect anything further on the subject.
Given under our hands and seals this night day of December
1813.
S/ Thomas Humphreys
S/ Rob. Morris
We hereby certify, that on examining Francis Gray respecting a
wound, which he states to us on affirmation, was received in the
Army of the United States, when combating with the British troops
commanded by Col. Tarleton; we find nearly one half of his left ear
extirpated, and a large portion of the skull bone deeply indented;
and consequently very much disfigured -- Mr. Gray, further affirms,
that except the partial loss of hearing; he experiences no bodily
inconvenience from the above mentioned injury. Given under our
hands this 24 October 1814.
S/ G. A. Rose
S/ John J. Cabell
[fn p. 101, an indenture of gift from David Hening and wife, May,
of Culpeper County, Va., to their son-in-law, Francis Gray, also of
Culpeper County, Va.; the indenture is dated September 30, 1790.]
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